Partners
by StevenUFandroid
Summary: Takes place after the end of Steven bomb 3, where Peridot gets away. Peridot has escaped from the Crystal Gems, losing her foot in the process. With Earth being too big of a task for one gem alone, Peridot is faced with no other options. She must call in her former teammates. Before Jasper and Lapis. Before the Crystal Gems. This is: Partners. First story please don't hate :)
1. Green Alert

**A/N: So I've finally gotten around to making a Steven Universe story. I hope you people enjoy this, because it's my first. Please tell me in the reviews what you think :)**

* * *

A slow, warm breeze rolls through the plains, scattering leaves throughout the area.

The whir of blades is heard, and a figure is illuminated by the moon, gently touching down on the grass.

Peridot sighs and looks down at her leg. It is bright green, but it ends at a stump, leaving no trace that a foot had ever been there.

She shakes her head, thinking of her loss. Both of her appendage, and to the Crystal Gems.

What would Homeworld think of this?

Homeworld. That was the answer. Her fingers whir, forming into an octagon. A monitor appears in the center, an artificial glow lighting up the area around her.

She selects random icons on the monitor at a high speed, a determined look on her face.

A small beep is heard, signifying that her message has been sent.

All Peridot needs to do now is wait.

* * *

"Steven bomb!" A happy voice rings out over the noises of the ocean.

Steven takes a running jump and flies off the cliff, laughing and windmilling his arms through the air.

He lands down with a huge splash, drenching Pearl and Amethyst.

"Steven!" Pearl scolds, annoyed. Amethyst laughs and high-fives Steven, who gives her a big grin.

"If you need me, I'll be inside with some more polite company," Pearl scoffs, and starts swimming back to shore.

"Aw, come on Pearl, we didn't mean it!" Steven yells, paddling after her.

Steven and Amethyst come inside the temple to find Pearl and Garnet staring at Peridot's escape pod, a worried look on their faces.

* * *

 **That's it for the first chapter. I'm sorry this isn't that long. It's either really long chapters which I'm not motivated to finish and come out once a month, or short chapters that take maybe an hour to write. But anyway, it looks like the series has landed :) see you within a few days!**


	2. Delivery

**Woohoo! Surprisingly, I had enough time to get the second chapter finished :D I hope this one can be just as promising as the first. (Thanks for reviewing. It always brightens up my day to see someone's thoughts on my work.)**

* * *

"Wh...what's going on guys?" Steven asks, scared. The gems had always remained calm and collected, but this time there is something different.

"We found Peridot through her escape pod." Garnet says.

She's the leader. The one that's supposed to set an example for the others. But even now, she can't keep the worry out of her voice as she looks at the escape pod's flashing screen.

"So? What's the problem with that? Can't we just kick her butt again and steal another foot?" Amethyst asks, taking a soda out of the refrigerator.

"If only it were as simple as that. Peridot has sent a distress signal to Homeworld," Pearl says, quivering with fear.

Amethyst spits out the soda she has been drinking.

"WHAT!" She yells. Both anger and fear are mixed into her voice.

"Amethyst, calm down," Garnet says. Garnet wouldn't admit it, but even she was tempted to shout in frustration.

"Can't we just figure this out tomorrow? We can always make it through bad times. We've had a lot of stuff go wrong, but how bad can this be?" Steven asks.

* * *

A small gem rushes through the shiny, flawless hallways of Homeworld's main facility.

She had never been allowed in here before, as only the most valuable of gems were allowed access to this forbidden place.

She was both scared and overjoyed at the same time. On one hand, who knew what horrors could be lurking in Homeworld's most elite establishment? But on the other hand, maybe the gems high up were finally realizing her talent as a messenger.

Finally, she makes it to the door that she has been so ecstatic to reach.

She knocks once, and when the door opens, she strides in confident, carrying the device with the message she is supposed to deliver.

"Yellow Diamond, I have come at your request to deliver the message from Peridot, the Unit 19 model sent to Earth for another chance with fusion experimentation and to restart the kindergarden."

A slender yellow hand reaches out to recieve the message.

The small gem can barely contain her excitement as the gem leader reads the message that she herself delivered.

 _Homeworld! Please send help. The galaxy warps and the hand spacecraft are both broken, leaving me with no way to get off this cloddy planet. To continue, a small pocket of the resistance is residing here. Part of Rose's original team. Please send assistance immediately._

Yellow Diamond finishes reading and turns the device off.

"Thank you, Cubic Zirconia, for notifying me of this important lapse in judgement," She says.

The small gem still lingers, to her annoyance.

"Speaking of a lapse in judgement, aren't I going to get rewarded?" Cubic Zirconia asks hopefully.

"Oh yes...you'll get exactly what you deserve," Yellow Diamond says, pressing a button on a gadget on her wrist.

At that moment, two burly Hematites barge into the room and grab Cubic Zirconia by the arms.

"Take this foolish gem away from me and use her for spare parts," Yellow Diamond demands, pointing to the doors.

"Wait! Don't kill the messenger!" Cubic Zirconia wails in fear, but the two Hematite gems only tighten their grip.

She screams, struggling in terror as she's forcefully dragged out of the room.

The cries and protests fade as the small gem is removed from the premises.

Yellow Diamond sits down in front of a device, and presses two icons, which turn green as they are selected.

"I _loath_ mistakes," She growls.

* * *

 **That's it for the second chapter! To make up for the short length of the one I wrote yesterday, this one is nearly double the length! Hopefully I can get the next one out tomorrow, and that one will be even longer! Again, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this. :)**


	3. Fool's Gold

**Yay! Another new chapter! Will I ever get tired of making these? (Hint: No) I hope you enjoy this as much as you enjoyed the previous ones, and as always, thanks for reading!**

* * *

The Gem lay in its Stasis Chamber and sighed.

It sat up and opened the glass door, walking over to its desk.

The Gem was bored, and it hadn't seen any action for at least 5,000 years.

It was one of the oldest on Homeworld, and had been there since the beginning.

But it was unique. Because that Gem was the first and _only_ documented male ever known in Homeworld.

He had short blonde hair that was brushed to the left, out of his eyes. He wasn't as big or tall as other Gems, being only the size of an adult human.

He had a bright-orange rectangular gem in the exact middle of his back, which perfectly matched his brass-yellow skin.

His name was Pyrite.

After tapping a few icons on the desktop, he let out a groan of exasperation and sat back in his bright green chair.

He hated the new Homeworld.

Pyrite had been around long enough to see the old Homeworld. The one where Gems were born, not made. Where every life was sacred, and various flora and fauna flourished throughout the land.

Now, Homeworld was poisoned by noxious gases flowing throughout the air. Every day was routine. The same dreary monotonous task being completed day after day. Nothing ever changed. Nothing ever would.

Gems now were a dime a dozen, and when they weren't doing their jobs, they were either terminated or stripped for spare parts that would help the bigger gems up top.

Those were the ones in charge. The most powerful gems were the rarest, and the only reason they weren't terminated was because they chose who was and who wasn't.

Gems that were outdated, useless, or suffered defects were immediately terminated or used for spare parts.

Pyrite looks down at himself.

He is woefully out of date too, and he thinks the only reason he hasn't suffered the same fate is because of his age.

Maybe he represents a relic. A tribute to the Homeworld that he knew. That he loved.

Another possibility is because he is male. When he walks down the street, Gems stop to stare at him. He knows what he is. A freak. An abnormality.

Yet a thought still lingers in the back of his head. _"One in a million"_

His train of thought is interrupted when a short beep on his deskstop states that he has a notification.

He taps the icon, and it pops up to show a message.

 _Pyrite. You were one of the ones who have the most association with Peridot Unit 19. You are hereby requested to report to Docking Unit 0026 in the Gamma sector of the planet. There you will be assigned your mission._

 _-Yellow Diamond_

He pumps his fist in the air, relieved for something to finally happen on this dreary world.

Pyrite opens a smooth, green metal door. It holds all of the uniforms and outfits he ever needed, or ever would need.

Finally, he decides to keep his usual standard Homeworld uniform on, but he also selects a tactical helmet, and slides it on over his head. It fits perfectly. He would never grow out of it as long as he lived.

Pyrite presses another icon on his desktop, and the door opens in front of him.

He dashes down the hall, eager to get a ship off this place.

* * *

Steven yawns as the sun shines down on him from the sky.

He stretches, and gets out of bed looking around.

"Garnet? Amethyst?" He calls out.

He gets dressed in his usual outfit. A red shirt with a yellow star in the center, and typical jeans.

He makes his way downstairs and grabs a donut from the refrigerator.

When he closes it, he sees a sticky note on the door.

Pearl's handwriting is neatly shown on the yellow paper.

 _Dear Steven,_

 _We have gone to find Peridot. We didn't want to wake you, so we left breakfast out on the table. We'll be back soon!_

 _Love,_

 _-Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst_

"Aw, man!" Steven says, looking at the donut in his hand. He turns around to find that there is a pancake on the table, made to look like it had a smiley face on it.

* * *

 **And that's the end of the third chapter! Hopefully it's enough until tomorrow. I just wanted to introduce one of the partners that Peridot had been with many years ago. Sorry if it's a few hours late. :(**


	4. Liftoff

**Fourth chapter! (Man, I am getting through these like a boss) Anyway, thanks for all the positive feedback I've been getting on this story guys. It makes me feel like writing this isn't entirely pointless :)**

* * *

A crunching of leaves is heard, and wildlife scatters in all directions.

Peridot is limping through the forest, determined to get back to Beach City.

She's using a large stick as a crutch in replacement for her missing leg.

Of course, she couldn't just fly to Beach City.

Granted, flying would be faster, but she would tire quickly. It would just be easier to walk. She had already run the calculations herself.

Peridot had to get to Beach City in order to get Homeworld's assistance as close as to the Crystal Gems as they could afford.

She looked down at the tracking device in her arm only to be alerted by the sound of people running towards her.

She bends over, looking inconspicuous.

"We've got you now, Peridot!" Garnet yells, pointing to the green Gem.

Peridot chuckles, her back still turned.

Suddenly, she whips around, and a stasis circle comes out of her arm and envelops Pearl.

"Let's see if this little birdie can fly!" Peridot yells, and throws Pearl high in the air.

The other two Gems look up, hoping to catch their friend.

Suddenly, Garnet is hit by a blast from Peridot's arm cannon.

Peridot reloads, and the shape that her fingers are in changes ever so slightly.

She shoots at Amethyst. The blast is usually a large ball of green energy, but Peridot had fine-tuned it to make it many red lasers.

Peridot laughes as she chases the purple one around with a well-placed volley of them.

"Hahaha! Who's got the upper hand now?" Peridot taunts.

Amethyst jumps off the side of a tree and catches Pearl in midair. The two Gems both summon their weapons as Garnet gets up.

Peridot's expression of happiness changes to one of despair. "Oh crud,"

"Get her!" Garnet yells, and the Crystal Gems storm after Peridot.

Garnet takes out her gauntlets and fires them at Peridot, creating two effective missiles.

Peridot manages to avoid one, but the other lands at her feet, shattering her walking stick to mere splinters and propelling her at least 200 yards away.

She stands up, dizzy, trying to make sense of where she is. Finally, she sees that she is on the opposite side of a cornfield from the Crystal Gems.

Peridot smirks. The Crystal Gems may outnumber and outmanuever her, but she still had one trick left.

"There's Peridot!" Pearl yells.

The Crystal Gems race to the center of the cornfield, looking left and right in case Peridot had changed her position.

They don't see Peridot anywhere around them. Amethyst taps her teammates' shoulders and they look up.

Peridot is flying above them, her fingers spread out. "GOODBYE, YOU CLODS!" Peridot yells, and a jet of flame comes out of her arm, igniting all the corn around the gems.

Normally, this wouldn't have gone far, but due to the drought in Beach City the corn went up in flames extremely easily.

The Gems were surrounded, and fire was closing in on them every second as Peridot flew away.

* * *

The blue and white Homeworld gem sits at the controls of the ship.

She is most definitely annoyed, but not shocked. It is very much like her colleague to be late, and she runs a few scans on the ship as to not get bored.

The Gem's name was Lace Agate, and there were only 7 ever documented in the Agate series, each a completely different gem.

Lace was one of the two last Agates left. The others had been either terminated or killed in the gem war.

War. Lace liked the sound of that word.

On Homeworld, Lace knew why she hadn't been terminated for 11,000 years. She's a war hero.

She didn't exactly go running off berserk into battle. No, it was her tactical strategies that had allowed Homeworld to make great strides in conquering other planets, and using those exact planets to grow their army for the next war.

So why was she getting Earth? This was only a class 5 danger planet. Even that reckless Gem Jasper could have handled it.

Her thoughts are interrupted when her assigned partner climbs into the car.

His eyes light up when he sees her, and he chuckles.

"Lace...should've known you'd be here," Pyrite smiles.

"Pyrite, please keep your attention on the task at hand. We're supposed to retrieve Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis Lazuli. If possible, we need to continue the fusion experiments and restart the Kandergarden."

"I _know_ that," Pyrite says. "Can't I just do some reminiscing?"

Lace shakes her head and starts up the ship. It's a simple one from thousands of years ago. It even has a control panel! But it's good enough for the mission they're about to embark on.

The ship turns around and flies out of the hangar. It's destination?

Earth.

* * *

 **Yay, I did it :D Now that both of Peridot's partners have been shown, what do you think of them? Thanks for reading my story, and goodbye! :)**


	5. A Special Visitor

**Yay! Another scheduled update that's perfectly on time! :) I hope this chapter can satisfy you until tomorrow.**

* * *

Steven sits on his bed playing video games.

He had finally beaten level ten in his game, but it didn't give him the rush of adrenaline that it would have otherwise.

He looks around. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl still aren't back.

He walks over to the door containing all of the Gems' rooms.

Steven's gem glows, and the door opens, revealing a fluffy place with clouds. He steps in, and starts creating a wonderland for himself.

The room is open ended, and clouds go as far as the eye can see.

"Hmm..." Steven thinks to himself.

"I'd like Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet to be here!" He yells out into the void.

The Crystal Gems poof into existence in that closed chamber, and Steven smiles.

* * *

Lapis and Jasper were at the bottom of the ocean.

They shared the same body, but their wills and intentions clashed, forcing Malachite to stay there, unmoving.

Lapis struggled to control the fusion. To trap the dangerous gem.

Jasper was getting stronger, and they both knew it. She couldn't protect her friends for long. Soon, Jasper would take over, and have free reign of the power held back in their body.

Lapis sighed, still keeping control. Time was relative compared to humans and gems. Being trapped at the bottom of the ocean made it even worse. She wasn't even sure if Steven hadn't died of old age or natural causes. She hoped not.

A tug on the chains binding both of them interrupts Lapis' train of thought. If Jasper was going to overpower her, she sure was taking her time.

* * *

Peridot steps into the house, limping.

She looks around, trying to find her missing foot.

"Ugh! Where did those clods put it!" Peridot yells.

Just at that moment, Steven comes out of Rose's room.

He notices Peridot, and they both yell in surprise.

Peridot shapes her fingers into a cannon and aims it at Steven.

"Are you going to alert the others?" Peridot asks. The truth is, she's just as worried as Steven.

She won't make it through another fight with the Crystal Gems. Still, she holds her ground. Her foot has priority.

Steven shakes his head, backing away.

"Good. Now tell me where my foot is!" she demands.

"G..Garnet told me not to tell anyone."

Peridot deactivates her arm cannon. Shooting Steven wouldn't help at all. She needs a different approach.

"But we're friends, right?" Peridot asks. Steven looks confused. "Please?" Peridot says. Steven's eyes light up. "Anything for a friend!" he says, and runs off to grab Peridot's foot.

Peridot looks around while Steven gets her missing appendage.

Everything is as a typical house should be, yet there's one thing that catches her eye.

A picture of Rose, the rebellion leader.

Peridot had been told that Rose had retreated to Earth, and hadn't been seen ever since. So where was she now? Was her gem shattered? Did she die thousands of years ago without the knowledge of Homeworld? Jasper had been calling the human child 'Rose', but there was no way such a powerful figure would have degraded themselves to that form.

Steven rushes back with the neon green foot, and holds it up for Peridot to take. She smirks and reattaches it to her leg.

"Thanks Steven!" She yells, and runs out smiling.

Steven runs out and waves goodbye to her.

As soon as Peridot is out of sight, she drops the act, and her fingers form into a square and a light blue screen pops up in the center. A message has arrived from Homeworld.

 _Please state your galactic coordinates in order for maximum efficiency rescue._

Peridot enters the coordinates, smirking.

Homeworld was on the way.

* * *

 **It's done! Woohoo! I can rest in peace knowing that chapter five of the story is complete! I have a question, though. Should I respond to reviews, or should I just let them sit there, in case this story gets more popular. I can't respond to 10 a day, or they'll fill up the majority of the story. Thanks for reviewing, as always :)**


	6. Crash

**Chapter six! :) Thank all of you readers who have been with me so far. I hope you choose to stay to see what unfolds.**

* * *

The Crystal Gems walk into the temple, covered in first degree burns.

"Guys! You're back!" Steven cheers. He runs forward and gives Garnet a hug.

"Sorry we took so long. Peridot had a few surprises for us," Pearl apologizes.

"Peridot? She was here just a few minutes ago!"

Pearl grows worried at this, and she picks Steven up. "What! What did she do to you?" Pearl asks, turning Steven upside down.

He giggles as Pearl puts him back onto the ground. "Nothing! She just asked for her foot and left."

"Well then let's let her get beaten by...THE PURPLE PUMA!" Amethyst announces, transforming into her alter ego and flexing her muscles.

"Amethyst, no," Garnet says, putting her hand on the Purple Gem's shoulder.

Amethyst shapeshifts back. "Aw, we never do _my_ thing."

"We need to split up and look for Peridot. She can't have gotten far," Garnet says.

Amethyst and Pearl nod, and the three rush out the door.

Steven looks down and sighs. "Aw, man."

* * *

The ship looms ominously above Earth's atmosphere, circling the blue and green planet.

Pyrite sits at the helm, operating it. The ship still has analog controls, and it's a wonder the thing still flies after 3,000 years. But it would do. Besides, the two needed stealth for their mission. Using a warp pad would surely attract attention from those rogue Gems.

Lace paces around in the background, obiously thinking of strategies they could use to overtake the rebels.

About the same height as Pyrite, she is a no-nonsense gem. Instead of outfits that express her personality like some of the other Homeworld Gems, she only wears Homeworld's standard battle uniform, suited to her blue and white hue.

She supposed she had no life outside of battle, anyway. When she wasn't out giving orders, she was in stasis awaiting her next mission. It still confused her that she would be sent to a lowly planet such as Earth. The creatures there rarely lived past a century. What good were they?

Still, she had been assigned this planet as a mission, and like every mission, she was going to give her all.

"We could just land on the beach and take them head on. I'm sure that they'll be no match for your combat skills." Lace says.

"I don't know. If they managed to defeat a Jasper unit, they could be a threat. They may not be the most elite, but they at least know how to fight," Pyrite says, swiveling his chair around.

"How about this: We go undercover in one of the Earthling's cities. I'm sure that we could pass for humans if we tried. We need to stay away from the rebels, though. They might be able to recognize another gem."

That was actually a good idea. Lace curses herself for not thinking of it.

A sharp _ding_ shows Pyrite that he's recieved a message. "Beach City, America," he reads. He runs a scan on the computer, and two results come up. One is a bowling alley in a desert **[1]** , and the other is a calm town next to a beach. Pyrite chuckles, zooming in on the second option. "Looks like we found them," he says.

He moves the picture and runs another scan on the area. "Looks like the closest populated area is Empire City **[2]** ," he says. "We'll stay there until the time is right."

The ship begins it's descent.

* * *

Amethyst looks around in the arcade. Peridot had to be on the boardwalk somewhere. There was simply no other place to go.

"Yo P! Find anything yet?" she yells.

An annoyed voice yells back. "Amethyst! You just asked me that two minutes ago!"

"I know. Have you found anything since then?"

Pearl ignores her, but suddenly she hears a voice coming down from the boardwalk.

"Hear, hear! Come see the amazing green woman!" Ronaldo calls, ringing a bell.

Peridot is sitting down, chained to the chair and fuming with anger. Apparently, she hadn't gotten far.

"LET ME GO, YOU CLOD!" Peridot yells.

Pearl runs toward Ronaldo and picks up Peridot. "Thanks for helping us," she says.

"Hey! I found her!" Ronaldo protests.

Pearl summons a Holo-Pearl, which stands idly at the boardwalk. "Here, play with this," the white gem says. Ronaldo gasps in awe, and pokes the projection.

"Garnet! Amethyst! I found her!" Pearl calls.

The two run out of the Big Donut and the Arcade, relieved that Peridot hadn't gotten away again.

The Crystal Gems drag her back to the temple.

"How do we stop Homeworld from coming here?" Garnet asks, getting up close.

"It's too late! Homeworld's backup is already in Earth's orbit," Peridot cackles.

"Wait! Garnet! I think I have an idea!" Pearl calls.

She reaches under the couch and pulls out a weird looking device. It's the same one the Gems were planning to use to disrupt the robonoids.

Pearl takes out a screwdriver and starts tinkering with it. "All I have to do is adjust the frequency...and there! This should disrupt Homeworld's ships." she says proudly.

* * *

A loud alert echoes throughout the craft.

"They must have jammed the controls! I can't keep it steady!" Pyrite yells.

The shuttle starts rapidly losing altitude, and soon it is enveloped in flame from the friction with the air.

"We're going down!" Pyrite yells.

His gem shines, and armor appears on him. He knows it won't be enough to protect him from the full force of the crash.

The ship hits the ground at 17,500 mph and explodes.

* * *

 **How's THAT for a cliffhanger! I've decided to put references in the story now. As always, thanks for reading :)**

* * *

 **[1]** Just a made-up place of mine. Do not waste your time searching for it on google Earth.

 **[2]** In "We need to talk" Greg and Marty's next destination on their tour is Empire City.


	7. Men in Uniform

**Sorry this is late guys :) I've been caught up in a lot of stuff. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing :D They give me the strength to keep going!**

* * *

Peridot smiles and looks at her fingers, which had formed into a screen. "Yes! Homeworld has arrived!"

Garnet grabs Peridot and shakes her. "Where are they now?" She questions.

Peridot smirks. "Wouldn't you clods like to know."

Garnet looks back at Pearl and Amethyst, but especially Steven.

She pulls Amethyst and Pearl aside, and starts whispering to them.

"What do you think we should do? Steven is here, we can't just kill her," Garnet says.

"We can never be too careful..." Pearl responds, nervous.

"I don't see the harm. What's she gonna do?"

"Amethyst, we can't underestimate her. She's a Homeworld Gem! You know what she's capable of!" Garnet scolds.

"I think we should let the Ste-man decide," Amethyst says. "He can think for himself, right?"

The Gems turn to Steven. "Steven, it's up to you. What do you think we should do with Peridot?" Garnet asks.

Steven ponders the question for a while, but then finally answers. "I think we should give her a second chance."

"Then it's settled!" Pearl blurts, stepping forward. "We'll keep her how she is!"

"What! You Crystal Clods can't keep me chained up forever!" Peridot protest.

"We'll see about that," Garnet retorts.

* * *

Lace and Pyrite stumble out of the wreck, dazed.

The ship's forcefield and armor had been enough to stop most of the damage, but it still wasn't enough to keep it's two passengers from getting hurt.

Pyrite limps forward. "Where are we?" He asks, confused.

Lace starts running a scan, but a cold, harsh voice comes from behind her.

"You have three seconds to evacuate the premises or we start shooting."

They had landed in a US military compound.

Pyrite spins around and knocks the man unconscious with a right hook.

He looks around. They are in a long, narrow passage made completely out of metal. The walls are decorated with shiny brass plates with writing on them. Pyrite didn't bother to read them. They were probably awards of some sort. **[1]**

Suddenly, the hallway becomes deafening as gunfire echoes throughout it. Of course. There had to be other people in the facility.

The bullets bounce uselessly off of Pyrite and Lace's armor, ricocheting off the walls and floor. Several armored men charge at the pair, and Pyrite shifts into a fighting stance while Lace starts running a scan.

The first man charges at him, firing his weapon. The bullets bounce uselessly to the floor, and Pyrite grins, confidently walking forward. The man seems to realize that bullets would have no effect, and he pulls out a knife. He shoves it into Pyrite's armor, but the blade bounces off, not even making a dent.

"Have you tried actually fighting?" Pyrite asks, and catches the man with an uppercut, knocking him off his feet.

By now, the men have realized that their weapons are useless, and they surround Pyrite.

Lace finishes the scan and presses a button on her helmet, transmitting a message to Pyrite. "They seem to follow this fight pattern. Follow these instructions and you can defeat them," she says.

"I could've taken them either way." Pyrite says. He runs forward, tackling one of the men. He lashes backwards with his elbow, catching another one in the chest.

The five men rush at Pyrite, but he just chuckles. "Don't you humans learn anything?"

Pyrite slides between them, grabbing two by the legs and slamming them to the ground.

He spins around and does another right hook, aiming for a man on the left. He expects it, and puts his arm up to block it.

Pyrite uses his free hand to punch the man in the gut, and his attacker keels over, coughing.

The two remaining men look at each other. They had been trained to fight, but their tactics weren't working. It's almost as if this intruder knew their every move. One of them takes out a radio, determined to at least do something.

"This is Unit 14, requesting backup. I repeat, requesting backup." He shakes it. "Why isn't this working?!" He asks, frightened.

Pyrite slowly walks forward. "I'm afraid my friend has just jammed your signals. It'll be a few minutes before anyone realizes that something's wrong." He walks past the two men, leaving them in shock. How could anyone crash-land into an army base and take out an entire unit?

Pyrite signals for Lace to follow, and the two head into a stairwell. "Let's get out of here," He mutters, running up the steps.

Pyrite was certainly more impressive than Lace had previously thought. It appears that he had been training over the past 5000 years. She just had to take a note of that. Lace presses a button on her tactical helmet, recording her thoughts.

 _Note to self: Do not underestimate Pyrite._

* * *

 **Yes! I managed to keep my perfect schedule alive :) Here's something that you can feast on. I hope stuff doesn't get in the way of tomorrow's update, since I have to go to a baseball game with my friends.**

* * *

 **[1]** I actually have no idea what a military compound looks like.


	8. The Open Road

**Hey guys! I managed to make it past the baseball game and write this story. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing :)**

* * *

Pyrite limps up the stairs, wincing. He hadn't noticed how much damage the crash had caused him.

Alarms are now blaring throughout the facility, and he moves faster, determined to get away.

He makes his way to the top floor of the building and turns left to see a control room. Surely this base's leader would be in there.

There's a keypad next to it, not unlike the ones back at Homeworld. He presses a button on his helmet and it instantly shorts out, spitting sparks in all directions.

The door opens, revealing a heavily built man with a gun. "Goodbye, alien scum," he growls, pulling the trigger. The force of the bullets is enough to knock Pyrite back a few steps, but other than that he is unharmed. He shifts his stance and walks through the hail of bullets so that he's directly across from the man. He grabs the barrel of the gun and twists it upwards, rendering it useless.

The attacker's smug smile disappears, and he stumbles backwards. Lace steps forward. Her gem shines, and thin, tiger-like claws extend from her knuckles. She puts the claws under the man's chin, and he starts shaking. "Tell us where we can get a mode of transport to Empire City," She demands.

The man extends a hand, giving keys to Lace. "T...take my car! Just don't hurt me!" He stutters. "It's in parking lot B." He finishes. His two assailants walk out, their job finished. How had they decimated an entire military unit just by themselves?

Pyrite and Lace arrive at parking lot B, where the man said his car was located. Lace runs two scans. One on the keys, and one widespread scan on all of the cars in the lot.

"That one," She says, pointing to a gray car. Pyrite puts in the key and turns it, opening the door. He climbs inside and turns the key in the ignition, starting the vehicle up.

He stomps down on the gas pedal, and the car shoots backwards, ramming into another and setting off it's alarm. He chuckles at his mistake, then shifts gears and presses down on the gas more softly. The car cruises ahead at a steady pace.

Finally, Pyrite presses a button on the dash and a door opens, exposing the outside world. He gasps. He had never expected Earth to be this... beautiful. The humans had done a lot of work throughout the years.

Most of what he had seen during the war were battlefields, littred with the crushed remains of gems. He had no idea it would be like this.

The place was a vibrant mix of colors of all kind, and real life-forms were littered throughout the area. It reminded him of the old Homeworld so much. He hopes it wouldn't happen to this gem pf a planet. **[1]**

He cheers as they turn onto a highway, driving on the open road.

He doesn't forget their mission though, and presses a button on his tactical helmet, sending a message.

* * *

Peridot glances at the walls of their impenetrable prison.

There was simply no use in trying to escape. This must be at least a level 3 containment field. Yellow Diamond would be furious with her. At least she wouldn't be terminated. She hoped not.

The sound of footsteps walking up causes her to moan.

"Can't you see I'm busy, you clod?"

She looks up, expecting to see one of the Crystal Gems. But it's not any of the three. It's Steven.

"What are you doing here?" She asks.

"I just came to say hi," He responds.

"With no obligation? I find that hard to believe," She scoffs.

"I brought Monopoly," Steven smiles. He walks through the containment field as if it were nothing.

For a second, Peridot is tempted to attack him with her Gem Weapon. But that would just make her captors keep a closer eye on her. She decides instead to go along and play this "Monopoly."

Steven opens a strange box and starts reading from a small index of information. Apparently, there are many rules to this "game." Peridot records them all and stores them for later use.

Steven takes out a board and he lays it on the floor along with many thin sheets of paper. Peridot assumes it's the "money."

They start playing. Steven at first has the advantage, because he has played the game before. But Peridot quickly catches on, and starts beating him.

Finally, she rolls a 6, and snatches the last 50$ bill out of Steven's hand. "Ha! I have collected all your currency!" She yells, pointing at him.

"Good game!" Steven cheers, and starts packing up the game. "Do I get my freedom now?" Peridot asks hopefully.

"Huh? Oh no, that was just for fun," Steven says, and walks out of the room, leaving Peridot alone again.

Peridot did have a warm feeling inside. She assumes it's because she has easily overtaken her opponent. She lets her mind wander again, thinking of Steven.

* * *

 **Woohoo! Another chapter on time! Hopefully you enjoyed this one as much as the others. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! :)**

* * *

 **[1]** I'll show myself out.


	9. Jebediah's Ballad

**Hey guys, sorry this is so late ); Had a minor case of writer's block.**

* * *

Pyrite drives forward, still determined to reach his destination. Suddenly, he hears a sloshing noise in the back as the car begins to slow.

"What's that? What does this mean?" He asks, gesturing to an arrow that was pointing to _E_ on the dashboard.

"I assume it's an abbreviation for empty. The vehicle must be out of fuel," Lace explains as the two get out of the car.

The pair notice a sign on the side of the road. _Shell_.

"Perhaps we can ask this "Shell" entity where we can locate more." Lace suggests.

Pyrite nods, and the duo step into the gas station.

Lace walks up to the man behind the register. He seems to be in charge of the establishment. He welcomes them with a nod.

"Do you know where we could find some fuel for our vehicle?" She asks, pointing to the car outside.

The man was short and fat, with a thin black mustache. He spoke with a heavy southern accent.

"Y'all tellin' me you never seen a _gas station_ before?" He asks, incredulous.

His serious expression changes into a kindhearted smile. "Well then, c'mon! I'll help y'all get some good ol' petroleum oil." He says, walking out the door.

Lace and Pyrite follow him as he goes around to the back of the car and starts pushing. "Name's Jebediah. Gas Station owner and songwriter," He grunts, putting all his effort into pushing the car.

The man groans with stress, but the car doesn't move an inch.

Lace nods, and Pyrite puts one hand on the car. He starts walking forward, easily pushing the vehicle.

Jebediah wipes sweat off his brow and whistles. "Yer' pretty strong, stranger. What's yer' name?" "Pyrite," The golden Gem replies as he moves the car into place.

"That a nickname, 'er sumthin'?" He asks. "No."

The man pulls out a pump and connects it to the car. Liquid starts flowing into the car, filling up the tank.

"Yeh know what I like about you, Pyrite? Yer' mysterious. Mama always said I had sum' strange fascinations." He reminisces.

He pulls out the pump and puts it back. "That should do it."

"Y'know Pyrite. You're quite a character. I oughta write a song about you," Jebediah says.

"Please don't," Pyrite says, getting into the car along with Lace. The two drive away, cruising at a high speed.

* * *

Jebediah sighs and sits down in a rocking chair. "Well, back to me and my gas station," He sighs. He takes out a guitar from behind him and strums a note. He begins to play an upbeat song, and sing at the same time.

 _Well, out on the open road,_

 _Two strangers were travelin' abroad_

 _They came into my humble abode,_

 _I welcomed them with a slight nod_

 _The blue one came right up to me,_

 _And said "Where can we find some fuel"_

 _I offered to help them, gladly_

 _And got up off my stool_

 _Yeah, I went out to their vehicle_

 _It was too heavy for me to budge_

 _The gold one was as strong as a mule_

 _All he needed was a little nudge_

 _He introduced himself as Pyrite,_

 _The blue one's name was Lace_

 _Oh, they were a strange duo all right,_

 _They left without a...trace..._

Jebediah finishes his song with a slow strum on the guitar.

He sighs, and looks up at the stars.

* * *

Pyrite presses a button on his tactical helmet and opens up a map. athey're getting close to Empire City. Less than 10 miles away.

He looks at Lace. She hasn't moved a single inch on the trip, except when they had to stop to get gas.

White Diamond knows what she could be doing in that big brain of hers.

He assumed it would be better not to ask questions. After all, it was her privacy.

Maybe one day he could admit his feelings for her. From the first time he had laid eyes on her, he had felt something for her.

Maybe it was what the other species called "Love."

No. He couldn't do that to her. He knew what happened when a Gem gave birth. They passed on their own gem to their offspring, never to return.

He couldn't give birth. After all, he was male. He wondered if it was a curse or a blessing. Doomed to drift through the endless cycle of life, never dying. Not needing nourishment, or sleep. All the other necessities that other living creatures needed to live, he could do without.

So why did the Gems consider themselves living? Maybe, as the only immortal beings, they just wanted somewhere in the universe where they belonged. They wanted to fit in.

Just like him.

* * *

 **Well, that was fun to write. Especially the song. It wouldn't be Steven Universe without singing! Also, I wanted this chapter to be about Pyrite and what goes through his head when he's alone. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! :)**


	10. Preparations

**Hey guys. I'm so sorry for how late this chapter is :( Hopefully you can forgive me.**

* * *

The first rays of sunshine make their way over the buildings, casting light over Empire City.

A lone car drives down the road. Everyone else is asleep.

Pyrite chuckles. They were finally there.

"Hey Lace. I need you to look up Earth living quarters," He says, tapping Lace on the shoulder.

She presses a button on her helmet, and thousands of words flash upon the visor in the blink of an eye.

"I've found two different results. We can get an apartment, so we'll be less likely to be noticed. Or we can get a house, which will let us be alone," She says.

"I'll take the housing unit," He decides. "But we need one with enough electricity to cater to Peridot."

She starts scanning again, and a house comes up. "Perfect."

* * *

Peridot once again looks at the bright yellow walls of her prison.

How did she get herself into this mess?

 _"Relax. You were just following orders. Who could have know there were still remnants of the rebellion on this planet?"_ She thinks.

But the consequences. She would be used for spare parts. She hadn't even known about Gem Rebellion until at least a millenium after she had been created. **[1]**

One thing was certain. She couldn't go back. The most she could hope for was a demotion to servant class. One that only the Iolite got. The lowest of the low.

At least here she would be safe. She could be certain that noone would try to kill her. However, her only hope was the reinforcements she had requested from Homeworld. Where WERE those clods?

Peridot taps her foot in annoyance, groaning.

Suddenly, Steven bursts in, carrying a plate of pancakes.

"Breakfast!" He proclaims.

Peridot scoffs. "Gems do not need sustenance..."

"Steven!" Steven finishes happily.

He had taken up visiting her every 4 hours, each with the hope that she'd open up a little. He'd gotten almost nowhere, but he'd keep trying. Even if it took his whole life.

* * *

"Ugh! Why do we have to do this again?" Amethyst groans.

"This training will help you sharpen your fighting in case Peridot's reinforcements find us." Garnet explains.

"Hey, they've got a whole planet to search! I don't see why I have to train now!" "Better safe than sorry."

Amethyst walks down the steps of the arena, releasing another groan.

She pulls out her whip, lazily getting into a fighting stance.

Her opponent, Pearl, readies her spear and starts charging at Amethyst.

Amethyst doesn't move, and soon Pearl rushes up to her and points her spear at Amethyst's gem.

She looks proud for a second, but her happy expression soon turne to anger.

"Amethyst! You're supposed to take this seriously!" She scolds.

"What's the point? We don't know anything about those guys!" Amethyst retorts.

"We can at least try!" Pearl says, turning around.

"Not me! I'm leaving!" Amethyst yells, and warps out of the training arena.

* * *

Pyrite and Lace are facing the landlord.

He's a tall, skinny man with slick black hair and a constant smile.

"Let me tell you people: This house _has everything_." He gushes. "Three bedrooms, four bathrooms. Even a great view of the ocean! But best of all, it has 20,000 volt wiring! Perfect for whatever your needs may be," The salesman says, standing up.

He takes out a calculator. "But _ooh_... that's gonna cost ya. It would be 800,000 dollars... but I think I can lower it to 700,000. Just for you." He smirks.

"Alright," Pyrite says. He puts his hand behind his back as his gem glows. Hundreds of thousands of bills stack neatly in his hand, and he hands them to the salesman. "I believe this will suffice."

The salesman looks at the money, confused. "Uhh... yes. Because everybody pays for a house in cash." **[2]**

He turns around and walks out, leaving Lace and Pyrite alone in the new house.

Pyrite taps a button on his helmet and shakes his head. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. The place called Beach City is at least 20 miles away from here. Besides, those humans probably know each other. We'd need a miracle to fit in.

Lace stares at him. "Are you suggesting we should change our course of action and engage in combat immediately?"

Pyrite smirks. "Exactly."

* * *

 **Again guys, I am so sorry for how late this is.**

 **[1] Headcanon that you can't prove wrong**

 **[2] A Sym-Bionic Titan reference**


	11. REM

**Hey guys! I managed to get out another chapter! As always, thanks for reading!**

* * *

Pyrite looks around. The lights of Empire city had gone out. It appeared to be this planet's version of curfew. Their sun had long since descended, and their were no stasis chambers to be seen in this house.

Pyrite was confused. What did the humans do at this hour? He looks over to the window, and sees a man flicking through channels on what appears to be a broadcasting device.

Pyrite puts his helmet on and presses a button on the side of it. He scrolls through frequencies until he finds the one the other man is watching.

A man on the screen is giving reports of current events in Beach City, and he starts talking, pointing to a picture of the temple.

 _"These "Crystal Gems" have saved Beach City from destruction once again. These vigilantes have apparently been around since the dawn of humanity, and have picked this as their residence."_ The man says, pointing to a picture of three gems fighting a strange crystalline monster. The red one defeats it with a crushing blow, and it's physical body retreats into it's gem. She encompasses it in a strange bubble, which almost immediately disappears.

The man looks towards the camera. _"We will get more info on these unknown heroes soon."_

Pyrite takes his helmet off and throws it onto a table. "That's it. They're the ones," he says.

That still didn't cure his boredom. Finally, he lies down and closes his eyes, hoping to simulate stasis.

* * *

Steven wakes up to the sound of loud chewing.

"Amethyst! What are you doing up?" he asks.

"I'm just getting a midnight snack, Ste-man," Amethyst says, eating an entire submarine sandwich in one gulp.

"Well, can you keep it down please? I need sleep." Steven says.

Amethyst shrugs and walks through the temple door to her room.

Steven sighs and gets back in bed. He picks up the book _History of the Universe_ , a novel that Connie had recommended for him.

He tries reading it, but it has long words that just confuse him. He yawns and puts the book on his nightstand, soon falling asleep.

* * *

Steven wakes up in a strange white world. It's almost entirely blank, save for a short black trail.

The first thing he notices is that his bed is missing. If he had been moved, he would have felt it.

He slowly gets up and looks around. It appears the only option is to follow the path, moving forward. It's almost as if someone had wanted him to go that way.

Occasionally, he calls out for someone to answer, hoping for Lapis. Maybe even Jasper.

Finally, he reaches a hill. It's strangely bright green. Maybe even Peridot. Steven climbs up the hill, where he notices a figure sitting in a slightly reclined chair. It's definitely not Peridot.

He is dark yellow, almost tan. He looks over some buildings that could make up a city, shaking his head. He doesn't notice Steven yet.

He sighs, shaking his head. "This used to be so much better."

"Hi!" Steven calls, waving. This startles the man, who turns around in his chair. Sure enough, he's wearing the same clothing that Peridot and Jasper had on, except it's plain yellow.

"What?" He asks, mystified. Steven squints. "Wait...are you a gem?" He asks.

The man relaxes a little. This kid obviously wasn't real. It was just a dream. A figment of his imagination. He decides to have some fun.

"Guilty," He says, half-smiling. "The name's Pyrite, by the way."

Steven's eyes light up at this, and he smiles.

"M..mine is Steven Universe!" He almost yells.

Pyrite chuckles. "So what do humans like you do for fun?" He's almost enjoying himself.

"I'm not a human! I'm a Crystal Gem!" Steven says. He pulls up his shirt, revealing a pink gem in place of his belly button.

Pyrite's eyes widen. Rose's gem. She was the leader of the gem rebellion. He had almost joined her, but had been glad when he didn't. Only five of the rebels had survived, including her.

No. This was a dream. It couldn't be her. "So Steven," Pyrite begins. "Can you tell me about the Crystal Gems?" He asks.

"Oh yeah. There's Pearl. She really likes to do chores, but she always scolds me when I forget to fold my clothes. There's Garnet - she's like a permanent fusion. And there's-" Pyrite cuts him off. "Yeah, but can you tell me their weapons and stuff?"

Steven thinks a bit. "Well, Pearl uses a sort of spear or staff kind of thing. Garnet summons these fists. They can be huge! And Amethyst has a whip that's kind of sharp at the end."

Pyrite takes this all in as Steven continues to talk. All of this matched up perfectly with the descriptions of the rebels. But how did he know? Pyrite knew one thing. This wasn't just a dream. He would be a hero if he took down Rose Quartz and the remainder of the rebels.

"-But Pearl doesn't even like to eat," Steven finishes. Pyrite chuckles. "Uh... Steven, right? How'd you get inside my dreams?"

Steven looks puzzled. "I think it's because of my gem or something." He says, looking down at the glowing pink stone under his shirt. Suddenly, he hears a loud beeping noise.

It's his alarm clock, jarring him awake. He looks at it and smiles. "Free donut day!" He says. He remembers his dream. "Oh right! I've got to tell the gems about my dream last night!"

He rushes down the stairs, waiting for Garnet and Pearl to come back from one of their missions.

* * *

 **Sorry for the lateness in getting out the past few chapters, but school is starting, and I'm really busy.**


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